Showing multiple payment options on a website is easily done. In Google Shopping, on the other hand, it’s slightly more complex due to the strict requirements for offering alternative payment options.
In this piece, we’ll discuss the installment attribute in Google Shopping and explain what it is, how Google uses it, what the formatting requirements are, and how to solve feed issues related to it.
Join us to learn how this is done.
This article is part of our Google Product Feed hub.
Table of Contents
What Is the Installment Attribute in the Product Feed?
Merchants can use the installment attribute to share details about monthly payment plans for products that can be bought in installments.
Usually, such payment options are offered for products in the following categories:
- Watches (201)
- Mobile Phones (267)
- Tablet Computers (4745)
- Mobile Phone Prepaid Cards & SIM Cards (6030)
- GPS Tracking Devices (6544)
The exact conditions for offering products through installment payments differ from market to market, we will expand on this below.
Is the Installment Attribute Required?
No, installment is available only in select countries and it’s not required.
For instance, in the Middle East, installments are available only in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It’s available in most European countries, in North America it’s not available in Mexico, in Australia installments can’t be used for selling mobile devices, etc.
If you do use it, there are two additional attributes that are mandatory: months and amount. With the months sub attribute, you can specify the number of installments, and with the amount sub attribute, you can indicate the amount that should be paid each month.
When submitting values for these two sub attributes, please note that the entries have to comply with the ISO 4217 standard for expressing currencies. Also, if the amount of individual monthly payments increases over time, for example USD 45 in the first three months (promotion) but USD 60 after, you need to enter the highest amount of a monthly payment for the amount attribute, i.e. USD 60, not USD 45.
You can’t have values for installments without entries for months and amount.
Let’s check how this data is used by Google.
How Is the Installment Attribute Used in Google Shopping?
Once the merchant provides values for installments, Google will use them when showing products in free listings. This is common practice in a handful of countries, usually countries where payment in monthly installments is widely accepted. One such example is Brazil.
It’s quite straightforward, the value shows users how the payment plan rolls out over time.
Options for Installments
The formatting requirements for installments are rigid – only two types of entries are allowed: one expressed as a number (months), and the other expressed as a number and currency (amount and ISO code for currency).
There are no repeated fields (so provide only one number for months, one number for currency, and one code for currency). The months and the amount should be separated by a colon “:”.
For example, if your product is sold via 9 monthly payments of 69 euros (each), you enter it like so:
- In text feed: “9:69 EUR”
- In xml feeds:
<g:installment>
<g:months>9</g:months>
<g:amount>69 EUR</g:amount>
</g:installment>
So, for XML feeds, there should be three different tags.
Important note: products offered in installments can not be traded across a country’s border, so you’ll have to operate within the laws in the specific country you target.
Products available through monthly payment installments are one of the few instances when you can list product price to be 0, because payment is due once each month (only if no down payment is needed to get the product in the first place).
In some cases, merchants can offer two payment options, one where the total value is paid right away, and another alternative option where the product can be bought through an installment plan. If this is available in your market, you can provide both price and installments for that product.
Learn the requirements for your specific market. For instance, in Australia, if a mobile phone is available for purchase through a monthly installment plan, the payment method has to be included in the product title.
Let us now check how to provide values for installment.
How To Add Installment to Your Product Feed
There are two ways to add info installments using feed attributes: through an eCommerce platform and in Google Merchant center.
When you tweak the payment option on an eCommerce platform, the data is automatically shared with the product feed.
In the Merchant Center, you need to create a feed rule to select products that satisfy a specific criterion, i.e. a rule. Then, you can edit the values for installment for all products in that group.
Sometimes, this creates issues. Let’s see how they can be solved next.
Common Problems With the Installment Attribute
If you provide values for installment in a market that doesn’t support monthly payment plans, Google will disapprove of your product. That’s probably the worst-case scenario.
Other issues include:
Incorrect value
The formatting for the installment attribute has to comply with the requirements. Don’t submit a value that’s not in the “number + number + currency” format, and remember to separate the numbers with a colon.
Landing page doesn’t match the ad
The info on payment in installments has to be the same both on your landing page and in the ad. Product pages on your website can offer different payment options to customers (other than through installments), however, the specific installment plan advertised on Google Shopping has to be easy to find when visitors land on the page.
Installments for software subscription
The installment attribute is not to be used for payments for software subscriptions because these payments are “prepaid.” Please use the price attribute to indicate the payment for such subscriptions.
Duration of subscription cost
If your product is offered through monthly payment installments, but a subscription cost is also charged, both of these attributes should have the same number of months as duration. If they don’t, Google will show the attribute with the longer duration of the two to the customer.
Read the Fine Print When Offering Payment in Monthly Installments
The installment attribute is relevant for products like mobile phones, computer tablets, and similar gadgets. Each country has specific rules for payment – in some markets, monthly installments are used quite often.
There are three supported values for installment: number (for months), number (for amount), and currency code (also for the amount); the numbers are separated by a colon. Entries have to follow this rule.
Double-check the requirements for alternative payment options in your market, because they vary. If you submit a value for installment and the market doesn’t support this option, Google will disapprove of the item.
